This past weekend I went to Zaragoza with Christina and Cassandra, two of my Fulbright friends. Zaragoza is the fifth largest city in Spain and is located about 4 hours, by bus, northeast of Madrid. It was a really great trip for several reasons. First of all, we only decided to go about a week beforehand, and it was really easy (and relatively inexpensive) to make plans and get there. It was the kind of trip that was quite low in stress- all we had to do was take a bus from Madrid, we were only going fri night-sun am, and we didnt really have much of an agenda, except to see the city and enjoy a weekend away.
We all really enjoyed Zaragoza- the two main sites were a beautiful gothic basilica and an old, Muslim castle/palace, both of which were absolutely amazing! Also, we stayed RIGHT in the main plaza and directly across from the basilica, so we were in a great location. Also, the old center of the city was really cute- full of restaurants and bars, which all had amazing food! Furthermore, while Zaragoza is considered a city, its certainly much smaller and less bustling than Madrid...so it was nice to have that change of ambience for a few days. Its also always nice to return "home" from a trip, because I always seem to appreciate Madrid even more when I come back from somewhere else.
Other than the trip, there is not much new to report...the countdown to Global Classrooms is on; the conference is next week and we are busy as ever preparing. I'm getting nervous...but I feel like my kids are well-prepared, so i'm sure it will be great! Otherwise- basically business as usual....I've started to realize that I dont really have that much time left in Spain, which is kind of strange to think about. I've suddenly made a ton of travel plans, because i want to be sure to take advantage of my time here (although i love being Madrid as well).
Here is a summary of whats on the horizon:
1. Trip to Pamplona w/ Fulbright in a few weeks
2. Visit from some Duke friends
3. Trip with Ruth to Bilbao at the end of March
4. Trip to Vienna with Christina (and maybe Cassandra) at the beginning of April (planning still needed...)
5. Mallorca for spring break with Noel (and maybe Kelly)
6. Visit from other Duke friends!
7. Trip to Dublin with Christina in May!
Needless to say...lots to be excited about!!!!!!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
A very overdue update...
I just realized that I haven't written in my blog for about a month now, so I figured that it was about time for an update, even if it is overdue. This past month, things have been very busy and I guess I haven't had much time to sit down and reflect on my experiences. So-I'll try my best to do that now. Somehow, I am halfway through my time here in Madrid, and it's pretty hard to believe. The time seems to have flown by, although when I think about how much I have done since I have gotten here, it's amazing that I have ONLY been here for five months.
About two weeks ago, I flew home to NJ for a short, four-day visit. It was my grandma's 80th birthday and my family decided to have a big celebration/ get-together in NYC (dinner and a broadway show) with friends and family. Although it was a really long way for me to go for just a long weekend, my family and I decided that it would be a nice idea for me to go home and surprise my grandma. When I first got to Spain, I hadn't been planning on going home at all before my scholarship was finished, so this trip sort of came as a surprise. I was a little worried about what it might be like to go home for such a short time and then come right back again to my life in Madrid; I thought maybe I would get homesick or have trouble re-adjusting back to my life here.
However, it turned out to be a really nice trip, even though I did experience a little, short-term reverse culture shock. When I first arrived, it felt really strange to be back, to hear everyone speaking in English, and to be back at my house in suburban NJ vs my small apartment in Madrid. As I was sitting with my mom in an Olive Garden, enjoying a nice lunch, I kept commenting how weird it was to be speaking in English, and to not have everyone looking at us (my mom laughed, of course). At the same time, I still felt very much at home very quickly; I have lived in Livingston for so long that even when I'm out of the country for several months, when I return, it still feels like not much has changed.
Furthermore, the change of scenery was really nice. It was nice to just relax at home, spend time with family, see some friends from high school and take a break from my busy city life in Madrid. My grandma was also incredibly surprised to see me and my visit really seemed to lift her spirits, which in it of itself made the trip worth it. Coming back after such a short stay was a little difficult at first, but I found that I quickly re-adjusted back to my routine here in Madrid. It was almost like i had never left (which to me was a good sign!).
Since I have been back, school has been quite busy. The Global Classrooms conference is now only a few weeks away, so we are in full preparation mode. The other teaching assistants and I have been working hard to prepare the kids, helping them with their speeches, position papers, and debating skills. We have spent a lot of time grading and correcting several versions of position papers and i have to say, I'm really proud of the progress my students have made. In the past week or two, we have finally told the students which ones are going to the conference and we are now only working with those who are attending. So, this means that I get to work exclusively with the best, most-motivated students, which is definitely more rewarding. I can tell that these kids have really learned a lot and it really makes me feel good to think that I have had a positive impact on their learning experiences. Teaching can certainly be frustrating and the rewards sometimes seem to be few and far between, but when you have one of those moments when you realize you have been a successful teacher and you have helped a student grown, learn, and mature, it really feels great!
Also, now that we are halfway through the year, I think my social science teachers are trying even harder to find ways to get me more actively involved in the class, which makes my teaching experience much more interesting and rewarding. So, although there are still frustrating moments, those proud moments really make the job much more interesting and rewarding.
My life outside of school hasn't changed too much- between tutoring, going to the gym, and seeing friends, I can't really complain. I am about to start tutoring another student this coming week; one of the girls I already tutor has a friend who lives a few blocks away, who was looking for an English teacher. I met her and her mom last week, and I'm going to start tutoring her after my other Tuesday class. This works out really well, becuase I am able to take on another student and pick up some more extra money, wihtout having to commit extra commuting time. Plus, the girl seems adorable and really excited about learning English, so I'm excited.
Otherwise, I have had a lot of fun the past few weekends- a good mix of relaxing and laughing with friends, going out and enjoying Madrid nightlife, and having time to myself to relax, prepare for school, watch some Duke basketball, work out etc. We have also been lucky to have very nice weather (for February) the past few days. Today, I went for an hour long walk around 5 pm and it was sunny and almost 60 degrees! After the frigid weather I experienced during my weekend in NJ/NY, I very much appreciated this early hint of spring! All I hear from my friends and family back in the Northeast is that the weather has generally been horrible- cold and lots of snow, so I certainly feel spoiled. I'm a little worried about how I'm going to manage in Boston next year!
In other news- I have some exciting plans/trips coming up, including a trip to Bilbao with Ruth at the end of March, and a visit from two of my Duke friends, Alaina and Rebecca, in April. So- a lot to look forward to! Anyway, I think that's about all the updates I have for now. More to come soon I'm sure....
About two weeks ago, I flew home to NJ for a short, four-day visit. It was my grandma's 80th birthday and my family decided to have a big celebration/ get-together in NYC (dinner and a broadway show) with friends and family. Although it was a really long way for me to go for just a long weekend, my family and I decided that it would be a nice idea for me to go home and surprise my grandma. When I first got to Spain, I hadn't been planning on going home at all before my scholarship was finished, so this trip sort of came as a surprise. I was a little worried about what it might be like to go home for such a short time and then come right back again to my life in Madrid; I thought maybe I would get homesick or have trouble re-adjusting back to my life here.
However, it turned out to be a really nice trip, even though I did experience a little, short-term reverse culture shock. When I first arrived, it felt really strange to be back, to hear everyone speaking in English, and to be back at my house in suburban NJ vs my small apartment in Madrid. As I was sitting with my mom in an Olive Garden, enjoying a nice lunch, I kept commenting how weird it was to be speaking in English, and to not have everyone looking at us (my mom laughed, of course). At the same time, I still felt very much at home very quickly; I have lived in Livingston for so long that even when I'm out of the country for several months, when I return, it still feels like not much has changed.
Furthermore, the change of scenery was really nice. It was nice to just relax at home, spend time with family, see some friends from high school and take a break from my busy city life in Madrid. My grandma was also incredibly surprised to see me and my visit really seemed to lift her spirits, which in it of itself made the trip worth it. Coming back after such a short stay was a little difficult at first, but I found that I quickly re-adjusted back to my routine here in Madrid. It was almost like i had never left (which to me was a good sign!).
Since I have been back, school has been quite busy. The Global Classrooms conference is now only a few weeks away, so we are in full preparation mode. The other teaching assistants and I have been working hard to prepare the kids, helping them with their speeches, position papers, and debating skills. We have spent a lot of time grading and correcting several versions of position papers and i have to say, I'm really proud of the progress my students have made. In the past week or two, we have finally told the students which ones are going to the conference and we are now only working with those who are attending. So, this means that I get to work exclusively with the best, most-motivated students, which is definitely more rewarding. I can tell that these kids have really learned a lot and it really makes me feel good to think that I have had a positive impact on their learning experiences. Teaching can certainly be frustrating and the rewards sometimes seem to be few and far between, but when you have one of those moments when you realize you have been a successful teacher and you have helped a student grown, learn, and mature, it really feels great!
Also, now that we are halfway through the year, I think my social science teachers are trying even harder to find ways to get me more actively involved in the class, which makes my teaching experience much more interesting and rewarding. So, although there are still frustrating moments, those proud moments really make the job much more interesting and rewarding.
My life outside of school hasn't changed too much- between tutoring, going to the gym, and seeing friends, I can't really complain. I am about to start tutoring another student this coming week; one of the girls I already tutor has a friend who lives a few blocks away, who was looking for an English teacher. I met her and her mom last week, and I'm going to start tutoring her after my other Tuesday class. This works out really well, becuase I am able to take on another student and pick up some more extra money, wihtout having to commit extra commuting time. Plus, the girl seems adorable and really excited about learning English, so I'm excited.
Otherwise, I have had a lot of fun the past few weekends- a good mix of relaxing and laughing with friends, going out and enjoying Madrid nightlife, and having time to myself to relax, prepare for school, watch some Duke basketball, work out etc. We have also been lucky to have very nice weather (for February) the past few days. Today, I went for an hour long walk around 5 pm and it was sunny and almost 60 degrees! After the frigid weather I experienced during my weekend in NJ/NY, I very much appreciated this early hint of spring! All I hear from my friends and family back in the Northeast is that the weather has generally been horrible- cold and lots of snow, so I certainly feel spoiled. I'm a little worried about how I'm going to manage in Boston next year!
In other news- I have some exciting plans/trips coming up, including a trip to Bilbao with Ruth at the end of March, and a visit from two of my Duke friends, Alaina and Rebecca, in April. So- a lot to look forward to! Anyway, I think that's about all the updates I have for now. More to come soon I'm sure....
Friday, January 7, 2011
Fun times with family :)
Last night, I made it back to Madrid after two amazing weeks travelling and spending time with my family. We did so much during those two weeks that I'm sure I won't remember to tell every detail, but I'm going to try my best to capture the higlights.
Here is a brief summary: The first week, my mom, dad, and sister arrived in Madrid, dead tired, after a long trip. They were in Madrid for half a day, and then we went to Portugal (Lisbon, Tomar, Mafra, Sintra) for several days, and then back to Madrid for a day. Melissa then headed home (back to work) and my parents and I went to Tenerife (one of the Canary Islands, off the coast of Africa) for a week.
As I said, when they first got here, they were REALLY exhausted, after basically not having slept for a whole night. Nonetheless, we still got to see some of the city. They came to my apartment and met Ruth (which was great!), and then I took them on a walking tour for a few hours- around my neighborhood (Arguelles/Moncloa), and then to Plaza Espana, Gran Via, Callao, Sol etc. It was Christmas Eve and we were nervous that we wouldnt be able to find a restaurant open for dinner, but sure enough, we stumbled upon something near Sol. We ate some tapas around 7 pm (they couldnt wait any longer haha), and then we basically called it a night.
The following day, we all flew to Lisbon, where we were only for a short time, before heading to the train station to go to Tomar (about 2 hours away). However, Melissa, our wonderful tour guide for the week, wanted to make the most of our time, and insisted that the cab driver stop at two sites in Lisbon that were near the train station, on our way. Now, I have to make a disclaimer so that my sister doesn't get upset with me- I'm not poking fun at her here, she worked really hard to plan our few days in Portugal and I really appreciate it! But...when we got in the cab and tried to explain to him that we wanted him to stop so we could see a tower and a bridge (mind u..it was raining and super windy out), he looked at us like we were crazy. He then proceeded to (lovingly, i think) poke fun at Melissa for the rest of the cab ride, telling her that she didnt actually want to see those things, and asking her if the tour book was "a good book?" I'm not sure if i'm catching the comedy of the situation here, but it was quite hilarious.
Anyway, the bridge was pretty cool, ill admit (the longest bridge in Europe). Some of the other funny moments of the trip also occured while we were in transit. For example, we were on a bus from Mafra to Sintra, and at one of the stops, this woman gets on and starts speaking to the whole bus of people (at least it seems). Apparently, she knew almost everyone...shes laughing, and handing out chocolates...of course we cant understand anything (Spanish and Portuguese actually sound basically nothing alike, even though they look very similar on paper), but it was quite the scene. And then, when we were in Lisbon on a trolley ride, this woman gets on and starts yelling out loud, about what, again we had no idea, but she seemed quite upset. Everyone is staring at her, and she just goes on and on, for at least 10 minutes. Then, some guys get off and take a picture of her, and she starts yelling at them, even once they are out of the trolley!! It was another very interesting scene.
And..let's see, some other great moments- definitely climbing the old castle/fortress in Sintra- that was absolutely breathtaking! It was quite the climb (I must say, a little scary for someone like me, who is rather scared of heights), but it was totally worth it! The views were absolutely amazing; probably one of the most incredible sights i have ever seen. I now understand why so many people told me that I had to go to Sintra while I was visiting Lisbon. Also, Lisbon itself is a beauitful city! Its very hilly- and when you start climbing, you can see the most amazing, colorful views of the city; it really is unique-looking. We also had a lot of great food everywhere we went; in Portugal, lots of great seafood (Bacalao, their specialty...as well as shrimp, octopus etc).
Back in Madrid, my family really enjoyed seeing where I had been living for the past several months, and hearing me speak in Spanish at every available opportunity. On Weds night, I took Melissa to Cien Montaditos for the one euro weds, which she really enjoyed. For those who dont know, Cien Montaditos is a bar/resaurant where they literally have 100 different little sandwiches for you to choose from. The sandwiches are mini, so you usually order a few for a complete meal..but its really fun to try different combos. Its normally pretty cheap, but on Weds, everything costs just one euro, including the drinks, so it always gets REALLY crowded. Melissa got a good taste for Spanish culture (incl the smoking, which she didnt enjoy), but otherwise, it was a really fun night (Side note here- Spain just passed a new law that outlawed smoking in bars and restaurants, so this will be different now...something i'm thrilled about!)
The next day, we managed to go to the Palacio Real, the Reina Sofia, Plaza Mayor, La latina, have lunch AND churros with chocolate, do some souveneir shopping, and end up back at my apt...so that was pretty successful in my book! We also had a very lovely dinner that night at my apt(courtesy of the Carrefour, the grocery store that i often frequent) of wine, bread, cheese, and olives (very Mediterranean! haha).
After this very fun but busy week, we said goodbye to Melissa, who had to go back to NY for work, and headed to Tenerife for a week of sun and relaxation. It was really beautiful there, and it was so nice to just chill, read, go for walks, work out, and most of all, soak up some sun! It was also fun speaking with the people there in Spanish...they always got really excited and were very friendly when I spoke to them in Spanish, probably because they are so used to having so many tourists visiting, and are not used to finding tourists who actually speak their language.
So, all in all, it was a great two weeks. It was really nice to see my family after being away for several months, and it was nice to have some time off!! But..I'm also happy to be back home in Madrid and to get a chance to catch up with friends here, settle back in to a normal routine, etc. Anywayy, I think thats it for now. Happy New Year!
Here is a brief summary: The first week, my mom, dad, and sister arrived in Madrid, dead tired, after a long trip. They were in Madrid for half a day, and then we went to Portugal (Lisbon, Tomar, Mafra, Sintra) for several days, and then back to Madrid for a day. Melissa then headed home (back to work) and my parents and I went to Tenerife (one of the Canary Islands, off the coast of Africa) for a week.
As I said, when they first got here, they were REALLY exhausted, after basically not having slept for a whole night. Nonetheless, we still got to see some of the city. They came to my apartment and met Ruth (which was great!), and then I took them on a walking tour for a few hours- around my neighborhood (Arguelles/Moncloa), and then to Plaza Espana, Gran Via, Callao, Sol etc. It was Christmas Eve and we were nervous that we wouldnt be able to find a restaurant open for dinner, but sure enough, we stumbled upon something near Sol. We ate some tapas around 7 pm (they couldnt wait any longer haha), and then we basically called it a night.
The following day, we all flew to Lisbon, where we were only for a short time, before heading to the train station to go to Tomar (about 2 hours away). However, Melissa, our wonderful tour guide for the week, wanted to make the most of our time, and insisted that the cab driver stop at two sites in Lisbon that were near the train station, on our way. Now, I have to make a disclaimer so that my sister doesn't get upset with me- I'm not poking fun at her here, she worked really hard to plan our few days in Portugal and I really appreciate it! But...when we got in the cab and tried to explain to him that we wanted him to stop so we could see a tower and a bridge (mind u..it was raining and super windy out), he looked at us like we were crazy. He then proceeded to (lovingly, i think) poke fun at Melissa for the rest of the cab ride, telling her that she didnt actually want to see those things, and asking her if the tour book was "a good book?" I'm not sure if i'm catching the comedy of the situation here, but it was quite hilarious.
Anyway, the bridge was pretty cool, ill admit (the longest bridge in Europe). Some of the other funny moments of the trip also occured while we were in transit. For example, we were on a bus from Mafra to Sintra, and at one of the stops, this woman gets on and starts speaking to the whole bus of people (at least it seems). Apparently, she knew almost everyone...shes laughing, and handing out chocolates...of course we cant understand anything (Spanish and Portuguese actually sound basically nothing alike, even though they look very similar on paper), but it was quite the scene. And then, when we were in Lisbon on a trolley ride, this woman gets on and starts yelling out loud, about what, again we had no idea, but she seemed quite upset. Everyone is staring at her, and she just goes on and on, for at least 10 minutes. Then, some guys get off and take a picture of her, and she starts yelling at them, even once they are out of the trolley!! It was another very interesting scene.
And..let's see, some other great moments- definitely climbing the old castle/fortress in Sintra- that was absolutely breathtaking! It was quite the climb (I must say, a little scary for someone like me, who is rather scared of heights), but it was totally worth it! The views were absolutely amazing; probably one of the most incredible sights i have ever seen. I now understand why so many people told me that I had to go to Sintra while I was visiting Lisbon. Also, Lisbon itself is a beauitful city! Its very hilly- and when you start climbing, you can see the most amazing, colorful views of the city; it really is unique-looking. We also had a lot of great food everywhere we went; in Portugal, lots of great seafood (Bacalao, their specialty...as well as shrimp, octopus etc).
Back in Madrid, my family really enjoyed seeing where I had been living for the past several months, and hearing me speak in Spanish at every available opportunity. On Weds night, I took Melissa to Cien Montaditos for the one euro weds, which she really enjoyed. For those who dont know, Cien Montaditos is a bar/resaurant where they literally have 100 different little sandwiches for you to choose from. The sandwiches are mini, so you usually order a few for a complete meal..but its really fun to try different combos. Its normally pretty cheap, but on Weds, everything costs just one euro, including the drinks, so it always gets REALLY crowded. Melissa got a good taste for Spanish culture (incl the smoking, which she didnt enjoy), but otherwise, it was a really fun night (Side note here- Spain just passed a new law that outlawed smoking in bars and restaurants, so this will be different now...something i'm thrilled about!)
The next day, we managed to go to the Palacio Real, the Reina Sofia, Plaza Mayor, La latina, have lunch AND churros with chocolate, do some souveneir shopping, and end up back at my apt...so that was pretty successful in my book! We also had a very lovely dinner that night at my apt(courtesy of the Carrefour, the grocery store that i often frequent) of wine, bread, cheese, and olives (very Mediterranean! haha).
After this very fun but busy week, we said goodbye to Melissa, who had to go back to NY for work, and headed to Tenerife for a week of sun and relaxation. It was really beautiful there, and it was so nice to just chill, read, go for walks, work out, and most of all, soak up some sun! It was also fun speaking with the people there in Spanish...they always got really excited and were very friendly when I spoke to them in Spanish, probably because they are so used to having so many tourists visiting, and are not used to finding tourists who actually speak their language.
So, all in all, it was a great two weeks. It was really nice to see my family after being away for several months, and it was nice to have some time off!! But..I'm also happy to be back home in Madrid and to get a chance to catch up with friends here, settle back in to a normal routine, etc. Anywayy, I think thats it for now. Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
New Years Resolutions...and other end of the year thoughts
So..before I get ready to go on vacation and recieve my family here in Madrid, I thought I should reflect a little bit on the year so far. Overall, its certainly been a great experience (as though of you who have been following my blog can certainly tell), but I still have some resolutions for the coming year...ways to make my experience even more worthwhile. With respect to my job- I think I'm trying really hard and teaching the kids pretty well, but I feel like maybe I could get through to them more, maybe find a way to convince them that they should care more about school.
The thing that I find most frustrating is that so many of the kids are so smart but just don't realize their full potential. Now, I know that this complaint has probably been around ever since teaching started as a profession...and I know that it certainly crosses cultural boundaries. Sooo...given that this is such a widespread problem, I know it's not realistic to think that it's one that I can solve in just a few months. Nevertheless, I've been thinking about this issue a lot lately, and I hope I can find some new, innovative ways to get through to the kids, to get them more excited about learning, during the next semester.
As far as my non-work life, I feel like I've done a good job integrating myself into Spanish culture. While I do hang out with a few American friends pretty often, I also am with Spaniards all the time, and I spend most of my time outside of school speaking Spanish. That being said, I think I want to try to take fuller advantage of all that Madrid has to offer culturally and artistically. In the past few weeks, I've been to an art museum, a poetry reading, and a photography exhibit, reminding me just how much I love art and culture...and how much Madrid has to offer in these arenas. I want to try to go to more events like this next year! I also think this will be easier now that Im really settled into my life and routine here.
And while part of my resolution is to become more connected to Madrid and more involved here and now, I also want to make an effor to be better connected with everyone back home. I have recently spoken with many friends from home, and I realize how happy it makes me to catch up with them, especially after we haven't spoken for a long time. I know its really hard to stay in touch, given the time difference and everyone's busy schedules, but I know I can also make more of an effort.
Anywayy..those are the three things I can think of for now. And as far as the immediate future- I'm really looking forward to seeing my family and having some time off to spend travelling with them. Next time I write, it will probably be 2011! So happy holidays and happy New Year everyone :)
The thing that I find most frustrating is that so many of the kids are so smart but just don't realize their full potential. Now, I know that this complaint has probably been around ever since teaching started as a profession...and I know that it certainly crosses cultural boundaries. Sooo...given that this is such a widespread problem, I know it's not realistic to think that it's one that I can solve in just a few months. Nevertheless, I've been thinking about this issue a lot lately, and I hope I can find some new, innovative ways to get through to the kids, to get them more excited about learning, during the next semester.
As far as my non-work life, I feel like I've done a good job integrating myself into Spanish culture. While I do hang out with a few American friends pretty often, I also am with Spaniards all the time, and I spend most of my time outside of school speaking Spanish. That being said, I think I want to try to take fuller advantage of all that Madrid has to offer culturally and artistically. In the past few weeks, I've been to an art museum, a poetry reading, and a photography exhibit, reminding me just how much I love art and culture...and how much Madrid has to offer in these arenas. I want to try to go to more events like this next year! I also think this will be easier now that Im really settled into my life and routine here.
And while part of my resolution is to become more connected to Madrid and more involved here and now, I also want to make an effor to be better connected with everyone back home. I have recently spoken with many friends from home, and I realize how happy it makes me to catch up with them, especially after we haven't spoken for a long time. I know its really hard to stay in touch, given the time difference and everyone's busy schedules, but I know I can also make more of an effort.
Anywayy..those are the three things I can think of for now. And as far as the immediate future- I'm really looking forward to seeing my family and having some time off to spend travelling with them. Next time I write, it will probably be 2011! So happy holidays and happy New Year everyone :)
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
¿Hablas español?
So, I know I just wrote an entry the other day, but I felt compelled to write another one, because I realized that there is one topic that I've been meaning to write about for weeks now. I continue to be amazed at how many people do not believe that I speak Spanish as well as I do...somehow they think that being American and speaking Spanish fluently is incompatible (unless you are Latino of course!) I'm not saying that all Spaniards believe in this stereotype, of course not...but I've gotten it a lot, and its started to make me think.
So- this amazement comes in two forms: there are the people who I meet while I'm out, friends of friends etc...and then there are my students. Every time I meet someone new, he or she is, without exception, impressed with my Spanish. Now...I'm not trying to say this to brag; I mean, of course I'm proud that Spaniards think I speak well, but I also know that after so many years of studying and practice, and for someone who is genuinely interested in the language, I SHOULD speak fluently by now.
But for whatever reason, people don't seem to understand that we have some really great Spanish programs in US high schools and colleges. When I tell people I've only been living here 3.5 months, they all say "but how is it possible that you speak like that after 3.5 months? I simply don't understand this question...my response is always.."of course i've been studying the langauge for years!! Learning a language isn't magic- of course I don't speak this way just by living here for 3.5 months. It took lots of hard work and the desire to learn" In my opinion, that is how you have to learn!
I don't know, maybe a lot of people here are just really unhappy with the way English is taught (I have heard that from a lot of people) and don't believe that you can really learn to speak the language in school (of course, they didn't have the luxury of being in a bilingual program like the one I teach in, with Fulbright teaching assistants!! haha).
Of course, my practical experience living in Spanish-speaking countries has helped me enormously, but still...I would be nowhere near as comfortable with the language without the extensive academic base that I have from hs and college.
And---then there is the topic of my students. This I just find funny...of course, I'm not supposed to be speaking Spanish with my students, because the whole point of my position is to get them to speak in English as much as possible. However, when I first met them, I told them all that I speak Spanish, that I've lived in Spain before, that I love the language, that I studied it in college etc etc.
Well, either none of them were listening, or they have short-term memories, because they always seem to be amazed when they "discover" that I understand and speak Spanish. Of course, this makes even less sense to me because, even though I techincally am not supposed to use any Spanish at school, I end up doing a lot of translating for both the teachers and the kids all the time. And..the kids ask me for translations...and I give them to them...yet they still don't know that I speak Spanish!
I just find this hilarious- I think they have just identified me completely with English, and even if its obvious that I speak Spanish, some of them keep forgetting that. Now, I guess that's not necessarily bad, because of course, I do want them to speak to me in English so that they can improve and become more comfortable with their language skills. And they are SUPPOSED to identify me with English...so, I'm not necessarily complaining, just reflecting I suppose.....
Anyway, I suppose thats enough reflecting for now. Feel free to provide your thoughts :)
So- this amazement comes in two forms: there are the people who I meet while I'm out, friends of friends etc...and then there are my students. Every time I meet someone new, he or she is, without exception, impressed with my Spanish. Now...I'm not trying to say this to brag; I mean, of course I'm proud that Spaniards think I speak well, but I also know that after so many years of studying and practice, and for someone who is genuinely interested in the language, I SHOULD speak fluently by now.
But for whatever reason, people don't seem to understand that we have some really great Spanish programs in US high schools and colleges. When I tell people I've only been living here 3.5 months, they all say "but how is it possible that you speak like that after 3.5 months? I simply don't understand this question...my response is always.."of course i've been studying the langauge for years!! Learning a language isn't magic- of course I don't speak this way just by living here for 3.5 months. It took lots of hard work and the desire to learn" In my opinion, that is how you have to learn!
I don't know, maybe a lot of people here are just really unhappy with the way English is taught (I have heard that from a lot of people) and don't believe that you can really learn to speak the language in school (of course, they didn't have the luxury of being in a bilingual program like the one I teach in, with Fulbright teaching assistants!! haha).
Of course, my practical experience living in Spanish-speaking countries has helped me enormously, but still...I would be nowhere near as comfortable with the language without the extensive academic base that I have from hs and college.
And---then there is the topic of my students. This I just find funny...of course, I'm not supposed to be speaking Spanish with my students, because the whole point of my position is to get them to speak in English as much as possible. However, when I first met them, I told them all that I speak Spanish, that I've lived in Spain before, that I love the language, that I studied it in college etc etc.
Well, either none of them were listening, or they have short-term memories, because they always seem to be amazed when they "discover" that I understand and speak Spanish. Of course, this makes even less sense to me because, even though I techincally am not supposed to use any Spanish at school, I end up doing a lot of translating for both the teachers and the kids all the time. And..the kids ask me for translations...and I give them to them...yet they still don't know that I speak Spanish!
I just find this hilarious- I think they have just identified me completely with English, and even if its obvious that I speak Spanish, some of them keep forgetting that. Now, I guess that's not necessarily bad, because of course, I do want them to speak to me in English so that they can improve and become more comfortable with their language skills. And they are SUPPOSED to identify me with English...so, I'm not necessarily complaining, just reflecting I suppose.....
Anyway, I suppose thats enough reflecting for now. Feel free to provide your thoughts :)
Monday, December 13, 2010
December in Madrid
Well..it's certainly that time of year- its a few weeks before winter break and everyone is getting restless and excited for the holiday. Madrid is pretty this time of year, with all the Christmas displays and lights- its certainly quite festive. I certainly prefer the springtime when its warm and sunny, but there's definitely something beautiful about all the festive, winter decorations. Its pretty hard for me to believe that two years ago, when I was studying abroad, I would already be going home by now (actually, it was exactly 2 years ago, on December 13th, that I left Spain and returned to the US- WOW). On the one hand, I feel like I've been here a long time- i feel quite settled into my life here and it more or less feels like home. At the same time though, I can't believe I've already lived here for three and a half months (AND that i still have six more months!)
This whole experience is still a bit unreal- its like having two different lives at the same time. On the one hand, I'm still the same person here that I am back home and of course, I still talk to my family and friends back in the States. At the same time, I feel like the life I have here is so different from my life back home, like this year is just some strange pause from "real" life....it's a strange feeling for sure, one that I'm having trouble expressing (as is probably obvious right about now). Anyway...thats probably enough philosiphizing for now- on to other things...
School has been pretty busy lately. Our Global Classrooms project is taking up a lot of my time, now that we have our topics and countries, we have been working with the students a lot to begin to teach them about the topics. We were given two topics to work with (Children in Armed Conflicts and Trafficking of Wild Animals), so some students will be debating one, and some will be debating the other.
I have also had to do my first round of actual evaluations, which is rather tough! On the one hand, I don't want to be too easy on the kids, because I want to show some of the slackers that they are only going to earn the grades that they deserve. Also, I want to kids to know that I DO in fact have some real authority, because sometimes they tend to forget that! At the same time, I feel bad being really harsh (the Spanish grading system is different than the one in the US; there is much less grade inflation, so really low grades are much more common). Anyway, I'm trying hard to find a good balance, as always...
This past weekend, although I did have a bunch of work to do, I also had a chance to enjoy many of the fun things that Madrid has to offer. I had a REAL Spanish weekend experience, and went out every night! (which takes quite a lot of stamina, when you stay out soooo late, I've come to realize...)
Each night I spent time with a different group of friends, which was really nice (my Fulbright friends, Ruth and my Spanish friends, and some new friends!) The new friends included a girl that Kelly and I met in Sevilla...she lives here in Madrid and invited us out with her and her friends. Even though I already have a nice group of friends here, its always nice to meet new people and find new things to do. I hope we will hang out with them again- they were all really nice. Actually, some of them are poets of sorts and invited Kelly and I to a poetry recitation (I guess like a poetry slam?) that they are participating in tonight. So, we are planning to go; I figured-its something different to try out.
I also finally made it to the Prado Museum this weekend (for the first time!) For those of you who don't know, the Prado is one of the biggest, most famous museums in Madrid, kind of the equivalent of the Louvre in Paris or the Met in NY. I had been meaning to go for weeks now and finally got around to it! It was really fun- saw a lot of the Spanish greats (Velazquez, El Greco, Ribera, Goya etc) and also lots of other 16th-19th century art. There was also a special exhibit on Renoir, who is one of my all-time favorite artists, so I especially enjoyed that. We also had a nice warm spell this weekend, so it was nice to be able to walk outside a little less bundled up than I am used to.
I can't believe i only have two more weeks before winter break (and before my family comes to vist!) I can't wait!! These will be a busy two weeks but after that, two whole weeks of vacation to look forward to!! Wooo :)
This whole experience is still a bit unreal- its like having two different lives at the same time. On the one hand, I'm still the same person here that I am back home and of course, I still talk to my family and friends back in the States. At the same time, I feel like the life I have here is so different from my life back home, like this year is just some strange pause from "real" life....it's a strange feeling for sure, one that I'm having trouble expressing (as is probably obvious right about now). Anyway...thats probably enough philosiphizing for now- on to other things...
School has been pretty busy lately. Our Global Classrooms project is taking up a lot of my time, now that we have our topics and countries, we have been working with the students a lot to begin to teach them about the topics. We were given two topics to work with (Children in Armed Conflicts and Trafficking of Wild Animals), so some students will be debating one, and some will be debating the other.
I have also had to do my first round of actual evaluations, which is rather tough! On the one hand, I don't want to be too easy on the kids, because I want to show some of the slackers that they are only going to earn the grades that they deserve. Also, I want to kids to know that I DO in fact have some real authority, because sometimes they tend to forget that! At the same time, I feel bad being really harsh (the Spanish grading system is different than the one in the US; there is much less grade inflation, so really low grades are much more common). Anyway, I'm trying hard to find a good balance, as always...
This past weekend, although I did have a bunch of work to do, I also had a chance to enjoy many of the fun things that Madrid has to offer. I had a REAL Spanish weekend experience, and went out every night! (which takes quite a lot of stamina, when you stay out soooo late, I've come to realize...)
Each night I spent time with a different group of friends, which was really nice (my Fulbright friends, Ruth and my Spanish friends, and some new friends!) The new friends included a girl that Kelly and I met in Sevilla...she lives here in Madrid and invited us out with her and her friends. Even though I already have a nice group of friends here, its always nice to meet new people and find new things to do. I hope we will hang out with them again- they were all really nice. Actually, some of them are poets of sorts and invited Kelly and I to a poetry recitation (I guess like a poetry slam?) that they are participating in tonight. So, we are planning to go; I figured-its something different to try out.
I also finally made it to the Prado Museum this weekend (for the first time!) For those of you who don't know, the Prado is one of the biggest, most famous museums in Madrid, kind of the equivalent of the Louvre in Paris or the Met in NY. I had been meaning to go for weeks now and finally got around to it! It was really fun- saw a lot of the Spanish greats (Velazquez, El Greco, Ribera, Goya etc) and also lots of other 16th-19th century art. There was also a special exhibit on Renoir, who is one of my all-time favorite artists, so I especially enjoyed that. We also had a nice warm spell this weekend, so it was nice to be able to walk outside a little less bundled up than I am used to.
I can't believe i only have two more weeks before winter break (and before my family comes to vist!) I can't wait!! These will be a busy two weeks but after that, two whole weeks of vacation to look forward to!! Wooo :)
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
La vuelta a Sevilla! (The return to Sevilla)
This past weekend (well, fri-tues am, since we had yet another holiday here in Spain!), my friend Kelly and I went to Sevilla. It was my first time back since I had studied abroad there two years ago, so it was a really special trip for me. We had a wonderful time, really got to enjoy everything great about the city and it made me really happy to be back in what i consider to be a home away from home.
On Friday, we had great sunny weather (much warmer than Madrid) and we spent the day just walking around the city, seeing all the main sites. We were staying in a hostel right by the Cathedral, so we were in a great location. We walked all through the center of the city-by the cathedral, the university, avenida de la Constiutucion, Plaza Nueva, Calle Sierpes etc. We had chocoloate and churros in the morning and a nice menu del dia for lunch. We walked around Plaza de Espana and then walked along the river, taking beautiful pictures of the sunset. We crossed the bridge into Triana and saw all the Christmas lights and then walked back towards the cathedral and found a nice place to get some tapas for dinner. At night, our hostel had arranged a pub crawl and we went to several different bars and a discoteca with a whole bunch of people from our hostel and other nearby hostels. It was really fun to experience the Sevilla nightlife once again, and to meet travellers from all over the world- we talked with other Americans, as well as people from Italy, Spain, Brazil, Scotland, England, Denmark, the Netherlands etc....it was a really great day!!
Saturday we toured the cathedral and climbed the Giralda (the big tower) and got a beautiful view of the city. We had another great Spanish-style lunch and then took a walk down memory lane...the walk from the center of the city to Julia's apartment (Julia was my host mom in Sevilla two years ago)!! It was very nostalgic to repeat that walk that I did every single weekday while i was living in Sevilla..and in the end, I remembered it perfectly! It felt like such a familiar path, even though it had been two years since i had been there! We ended up spending 2.5 hours with Julia- which was great! We talked about basically everything under the sun...caught up on our lives and shared lots of laughs. I also got to see Julia's daughter, son-in-law, sister, and brother-in-law, which was really nice. It was so great to see her again and she was just as sweet as always!!
The great night continued as we went back to the hostel and headed to a flamenco show arranged by the hostel staff. The show was awesome-the dancers and musicians were amazingly talented!!
On Sunday, the weather changed for the worse and it basically rained all day. So, we decided to go to the contemporary art museum in the morning...seemed like a good rainy day activity. We had mixed feelings about the museum-it was full of strange videos (very contemporary), which aren't really my style, but there were also some really cool and interesting pieces. We found another great place to have lunch after the museum, and then just walked around and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. We decided to go out that night with the people from the hostel again, since it was so fun the other night, and since it provided us with a guide to show us the best places to go!! We met lots of interesting people and it was another great night!
Monday was another really fun day...we spent a very typical Spanish afternoon with 2 Sevillanos, which was great. Kelly's aunt used to live in Spain and still has some very close friends here. One of her closest friends is from Sevilla...and so we met up with him and his friend for the afternoon. We went to the Archivo de las Indias and saw a cool exhibit on pirates in Spanish America (back during colonial times) and then proceeded to have a long afternoon full of drinks and food. We first went to a typical outdoor bar, which was full of people chatting and enjoying their day off. Then we went to another place with great tapas...also quite crowded! The afternoon continued as we sipped some cafe in another bar..and then continued even longer as we had some post-coffee drinks (apparently thats very typical!) It was really fun to just have a relaxing afternoon, chatting and enjoying ourselves. That night, we relaxed a bit at the hostel, hanging out with some of our new friends, enjoyed some more great food, and went out for a bit with some of the other hostel guests.
And finally, tues am, we woke up bright and early and caught the train back to Madrid. It was SUCH a great trip; I'm soo glad we decided to go! And who knows..maybe i'll be back again soon..after all, its not too far away!!!
On Friday, we had great sunny weather (much warmer than Madrid) and we spent the day just walking around the city, seeing all the main sites. We were staying in a hostel right by the Cathedral, so we were in a great location. We walked all through the center of the city-by the cathedral, the university, avenida de la Constiutucion, Plaza Nueva, Calle Sierpes etc. We had chocoloate and churros in the morning and a nice menu del dia for lunch. We walked around Plaza de Espana and then walked along the river, taking beautiful pictures of the sunset. We crossed the bridge into Triana and saw all the Christmas lights and then walked back towards the cathedral and found a nice place to get some tapas for dinner. At night, our hostel had arranged a pub crawl and we went to several different bars and a discoteca with a whole bunch of people from our hostel and other nearby hostels. It was really fun to experience the Sevilla nightlife once again, and to meet travellers from all over the world- we talked with other Americans, as well as people from Italy, Spain, Brazil, Scotland, England, Denmark, the Netherlands etc....it was a really great day!!
Saturday we toured the cathedral and climbed the Giralda (the big tower) and got a beautiful view of the city. We had another great Spanish-style lunch and then took a walk down memory lane...the walk from the center of the city to Julia's apartment (Julia was my host mom in Sevilla two years ago)!! It was very nostalgic to repeat that walk that I did every single weekday while i was living in Sevilla..and in the end, I remembered it perfectly! It felt like such a familiar path, even though it had been two years since i had been there! We ended up spending 2.5 hours with Julia- which was great! We talked about basically everything under the sun...caught up on our lives and shared lots of laughs. I also got to see Julia's daughter, son-in-law, sister, and brother-in-law, which was really nice. It was so great to see her again and she was just as sweet as always!!
The great night continued as we went back to the hostel and headed to a flamenco show arranged by the hostel staff. The show was awesome-the dancers and musicians were amazingly talented!!
On Sunday, the weather changed for the worse and it basically rained all day. So, we decided to go to the contemporary art museum in the morning...seemed like a good rainy day activity. We had mixed feelings about the museum-it was full of strange videos (very contemporary), which aren't really my style, but there were also some really cool and interesting pieces. We found another great place to have lunch after the museum, and then just walked around and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. We decided to go out that night with the people from the hostel again, since it was so fun the other night, and since it provided us with a guide to show us the best places to go!! We met lots of interesting people and it was another great night!
Monday was another really fun day...we spent a very typical Spanish afternoon with 2 Sevillanos, which was great. Kelly's aunt used to live in Spain and still has some very close friends here. One of her closest friends is from Sevilla...and so we met up with him and his friend for the afternoon. We went to the Archivo de las Indias and saw a cool exhibit on pirates in Spanish America (back during colonial times) and then proceeded to have a long afternoon full of drinks and food. We first went to a typical outdoor bar, which was full of people chatting and enjoying their day off. Then we went to another place with great tapas...also quite crowded! The afternoon continued as we sipped some cafe in another bar..and then continued even longer as we had some post-coffee drinks (apparently thats very typical!) It was really fun to just have a relaxing afternoon, chatting and enjoying ourselves. That night, we relaxed a bit at the hostel, hanging out with some of our new friends, enjoyed some more great food, and went out for a bit with some of the other hostel guests.
And finally, tues am, we woke up bright and early and caught the train back to Madrid. It was SUCH a great trip; I'm soo glad we decided to go! And who knows..maybe i'll be back again soon..after all, its not too far away!!!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)